<p>Excuse the length--just read the first two paragraphs; they're all that matter:</p>
<p>I've two more semesters at community college after this one, plus two free summers and a spring in which I need to do stuff. If I were a political science major, I'd even take a trip to North Korea for the summer.</p>
<p>The short form of the question is: what can community college kids who did nothing special in high school--like myself--do now before sending applications so that we're at the top of the competition, "set apart," "leaders," and "really all-round top-notch achievers who are passionate abut what they do as they help build schools in war-torn countries"? </p>
<p>It seems kind of late now, but I know that most top-tier schools accept community college kids. I suppose high school students who go to CMU and MIT probably start early with clubs offered at their school, get on robotics teams, or design websites for people. If I had more experience I might try for an internship, but what I've learned in the one Intro to Java class I'm taking is really all I've got. Humanities kids can make a distinct show of passion or leadership with their interests by organizing plays; science kids can by winning science fairs and volunteering at hospitals--but I don't know what kind of research or creative work I can find that would suit my level and achieve the big pat-on-the-back, you-deserve-a-Nobel-prize.</p>
<p>Here's my story, in case you're of the type who likes boring autobiographies:</p>
<p>High school: graduated last year with a 2.95 GPA and Algebra II, basic classes, three years of French, no programming class, nothing special. I used to hate math-em-matics (my interest in CS is actually a creative one that stems from art, as I was born a humanities guy).</p>
<p>I decided to try a second chance at community college so as to wipe my slate clean, then apply to aforementioned "top" schools when I had redeemed myself and met the transfer requirements of several prospects. Several times I considered going to the state university, but I would stand out less there.</p>
<p>Community college so far:
- Started over with math; to start Calc I next; doing pretty well. Also starting over with physics/any sciences required, and am taking Intro to Java.
- Taking honors physics and will take honors CS throughout the next two semesters. Honors has you write a mini-thesis of your own research; I don't know how valuable that is.
- Will start tutoring algebra soon.
- Attempted to join some clubs, so far they're either too boring, or conflict with my schedule.
- Maintaining a 4.0; at minimum should be no less than 3.8 by the end.</p>
<p>I'm hoping that at some point I can found a CS club (this community college has none). I'd even be willing to travel for a summer, if it was something like a camp--I just want to make the most of my next year and a half or so before sending out applications. I don't really have any connections to the CS field, though, so I hardly know where to begin. I feel like I could be doing so much more, and I don't want this time to waste away.</p>
<p>If it were possible, I'd go to Brown, Cornell, Vanderbilt, UPenn, Tufts, ... as dream schools.
**
...Any thoughts, similar past experiences, or expert high school failures who went on to transfer to MIT? Any resources where I might find deeper involvement in CS/other relevant areas?**</p>